Lever-bolt drum closure



June 8, 1954 J. J. KOJAN LEVER-BOLT DRUM CLOSURE Filed June 26, 1951 INVENTOR. Jbmv J AoJA/v 4 I I Ill] 1 A wvv'uvvv vvvi Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE LEVER-BOLT DRUM CLOSURE John J. Kojan, Bedford, Ohio, assignor to Drum Parts, 1110., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio 5 Claims.

This inventionrelates to improvements in leverbolt drum closures, that is to say lever means for expanding a closing ring to place it over the cover flange and for contracting the ring to pull its ends toward each other, along with bolt and nut means for further contracting the ring to drum sealing position.

Lever and link operating means for closing rings is old and well known. Such a means may be operated rapidly and is convenient for the consumer since by its use a cover may be removed and replaced quickly when a portion of the contents of a drum are to be withdrawn and the drum again closed. Ring actuating means of this kind are not suitable for certain purposes however, b cause such means cannot be relied upon to eatisfactorily seal drums in all cases. If the dimensions of a drum or a closing ring vary to some extent from the intended dimensions, as may readily happen, the lever and ring may not compress the gasket sufficiently to effect the desired seal. A lever operated ring therefore may seal in some cases and not in others, and when the material to be shipped is subject to deterioration when exposed to air or moisture, the uncertainty of this type of closure is obviously objectionable.

For materials requiring tight seals it is common to close the drums by a bolt and nut type of seal, such for example as is disclosed in Patent 2,486,565, issued November 1, 1949, to Leo A. Witucky and myself, because variations in dimensions be compensated by varying the extent to which the bolt is threaded into the nut. This type of closing ring as previously constituted also has disadvantages however. not easily adjusted to a position Where the bolt may be inserted preparatory to drawing it up to scaling condition. Sometimes the ring is put in place on the drum and tapped with a wooden mallet at various places along its periphery to bring its ends into juxtaposition. The ends may also be brought together by employing a ring closing tool, as disclosed in Patent 2,555,194, issued to Leo A. Witucky and myself on May 29, 1951. A second difficulty with this type of closure is that when portions of the contents of a drum are to be removed on different occasions, it is time consuming to turn the bolt to release it from the nut and to reinsert the bolt and draw it up again after the cover is replaced.

In the present invention the shortcomings of both of the above described ring closing devices are overcome and their good points'utilized. In

operating my closure the ring may be placed in It is 2 position and quickly drawn up by the lever to hold the ring ends together while the bolt is being threaded into the nut for completing the contraction of the ring and sealing the cover, the link and lever mechanism comprising a lost motion (pin and slot) connection which permits the bolt and nut action.

When the consumer desires to begin using the contents .of the drum he unscrews the bolt, after which the ring may be expanded sufficiently to permit the removal of the drum cover, that is by manipulation of the lever and link mechanism. If the contents are to be used up within a relatively short time the bolt may be discarded and the lever and link alone employed for expanding and contracting the ring. The lever and link are sufiicient to hold the cover in place, though not suiiicient to effect a seal between it and the drum.

One of the objects of the invention therefore is the provision of a closure having a lever and link mechanism for quickly contracting the ring to a preliminary closing position and bolt and nut means for completing the contraction of the ring and sealing the cover to the drum.

Another object is the provision of means of the character described which is self-contained and requires no tools other than an ordinary wrench for setting up or releasing it.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with the description of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposes of the present application, I have illus-- trated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmental plan view showing the closing ringbeing applied to the cover of a drum.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in the intermediate stage of the closing operation.

Fig. 3 is still another similar view showing the parts in the final stage of the closing operation.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental elevational view on a larger scale, the parts being shown in fully closed position.

Fig. 5 is a detail cross-sectional view of the ring taken substantially on the line 5'-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the drum, cover and closing ring, the view being taken substantially on the line t--5 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 7 is a fragmental elevational view looking in the direction indicated by arrow l of Fig. 4.

in the drawing a steel drum is indicated at Hi. It is provided with a beaded rim H, as is common in such containers. A cover or lid i2 is so formed as to extend downwardly into the drum somewhat below the level of rim H, as is also common in containers of this sort. The cover is provided with a flange !3 which overlies the rim H throughout its extent. This flange is preferably curved in cross-section as shown and receives a soft rubber or resilient gasket it which serves to seal the cover to the drum when the flange 13 and rim H are drawn toward each other with sufiicient force. A split closing ring to of G- shape in cross-section is employed to hold the cover in place and to compress the gasket it for sealing the joint between the drum and cover. The foregoing parts are conventional.

A ring built in accordance with the present invention comprises a. pair or" ears 56, one on each side of the split in the ring. These cars, which are preferably welded to the ring, are spaced a short distance from its ends and project i. wardly from the upper part of the ring a short distance toward the center of the cover. To the inwardly projecting portion of one of the ears there is pivoted at ll one end of a lever it, which may be relatively short as compared with the lever of the conventional lever link mechanism since it is not called upon to exert heavy pressure,

To the other car it there is pivoted l a link 26 which preferably is formed of two strips of metal, one on either side of the inwardly projecting part of the car it. The two strips of this link also straddle the lever i8 are joined by a pin 2! which extends through a slot in the lever. A strip of metal 2 welded to the ring extends inwardly and is provl led with a downturned hook so that the lever when in the position of Figs. 2 and 3 may be held against swinging inwardly. In the illustrated embodiment the lost motion connection a pin and slot connection which is preferred because e an plicity. However other means for providing lost motion may be employed if desired. Furthermore it will be observed that a fixed pivot may be sub stituted for the illustrated pin and slot connection 2!, 22 and a lost motion connection substituted for either of the illustrated pivotal connections I? and 5%, it being necessary only that after the lever means is operated to bring the ring ends into juxtaposition as illustrated in 2 the lost motion means shall be such as to permit the ring ends to be pulled close together.

At each extremity of the ring adjacent the cars 16 a lug 25, 25' is welded to the ring. It extends downwardly somewhat below the level of the ring where it formed into a loop 26'. When the ring is closed or approximately closed these loops are disposed in alignment. sheet metal sleeve El which is bent over at one end to form a flange 23. At the other end it enibraces a castellated nut 29 which bears against the end of the loop. The sleeve 2? at the end remote from the flange 28 is forced into the castellation slots 39 as indicated in Fig. 6. The sleeve is slotted at iii to clear the lug 25, see Fig. 7. Thus the nut 28 is held against movement with respect to loop 25', both longitudinally and rotationally. A bolt 32 may be removably moun ed in the loops 2E, 25. It has a head 33 of larger transverse dimensions than the internal diameter of the loop 23 so as to have a firm bearing against that loop. ts shank may be rotatabiy mounted in the nut 23.

Operation.When a cover i2 carrying a gasket is is to be sealed to the drum, the ring expanded as shown in Fl". 1 is placed over the flange 53 of the cover. The operator then grasps the hand lever i8 and swings it around from the Fi Loop 23' carries a iii) 1 position to that of Fig. 2, causing the lever to project beneath and engage the hook on the strap 23. This movement of the lever causes the end of slot 22 nearest pivot I? to pull against pin 2! on linl: 2i} and draw the ends of the ring toward each other, about as indicated in Fig. 2. This contracts the ring sufficiently to engage the rim ii and flange 3 at all points, so that the ring firmly locks the cover to the drum.

Tie pin 2! is now at the left end of slot 22 as viewed in Fig. 2. The loops 26, 26 are now rather close together and in alignment. The shank or bolt 32 now be pushed through loop 26 and loop 26 until it contacts nut 27. It can then be threaded into the nut manually and tightened with a wrench applied to the head The ends of the ring are thereby pulled toward each other until a trong resistance to further rotation indicates to the operator that the gasket Hi has been well corn ressed and the joint between the drum and is cover sealed. The contents of the drum are then fully protected against deterioration.

The final closing stage pulls the ears i6 toward other the pin 25 in the link moves toward the right while the slot 2?; in lever 18 moves toward left. When the colt has been drawn up tight the pin 2i will stand near the right hand end of slot 22. Without the slot and connection or its equivalent, the ring could not have been closed by the bolt because the final movement would have been prevented by a fixed total connection between the lever and the When the drum is delivered to a consumer it may be opened by the removal of the bolt first by the operation of the hand lever second, as 3 be obvious. If the contents are to be used a on at a time the bolt is discarded. The ring may then be to the condition illustrated in l and the ring and cover lifted off the drum. When the required amount of material has been taken out of the drum it may be closed by replacing the cover and returning the lever to the position of 2. These opening and closing operations are quickly performed without tools of any kind, and yet the cover is locked in place when the drum is closed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a drum closure having a sealing gasket, a split ring adapted when contracted to earn a cover into gasket compressing position, a lever one end of which is articulated with one end of said ring and a link articulated with the other end thereof, said link and. lever eing artieulatcd to each other at a point intermediate the ends of the lever, one or said articulated connections being a lost motion connection, and a pair of lugs attached to the ends of said ring, said lugs carrying aligned loops, whereby said lever may be operated to draw the ends of the ring toward each other sufioiently to permit the insertion of a bolt through said loops, after which the bolt may be tightened to bring the ends into sealing position while the lost motion connection permits relative movement between the lever and link.

2. In a drum closure having a sealing gasket, a split ring adapted when contracted to cam an end closure into gasket compressing position, an ear attached to the ring on each side of the split therein, a lever pivoted at one end to one ear and a linl: pivoted to the other, a pin and slot connection between the link the lever intermediate the ends of the lever, and a pair of lugs attached to the ends of said ring,

said lugs carrying aligned loops, whereby said lever may be operated to draw the ends of the ring toward each other sufficiently to permit the insertion of a bolt through said loops, after which the bolt may be tightened to bring the ring ends into sealing position while the pin and slot connection permit relative movement between the link and lever.

3. A drum closure as defined in claim 2, wherein the slot of said pin and slot connection is so positioned that one end thereof will bear on the pin to draw the ring ends toward each other when the lever is thrown to closing position and wherein the slot is of a length sufiicient to permit the necessary movement of the pin therein while the ring ends are drawn into drum sealing position by said bolt.

4. In combination, an open-ended drum provided with a beaded rim, a cover having a flange adapted to overlie said rim, a resilient gasket interposed between said rim and flange, a split ring of C shape in cross section adapted when contracted to cam said rim and flange toward each other and compress said gasket, an ear attached to the ring on each side of the split therein, a lever one end of which has an articulated connection with one ear and a link having an articulated connection with the other ear, an articulated connection between the link and lever intermediate the ends of the lever, one of said articulated connections being a lost motion connection, a pair of lugs attached to the ends of said ring, said lugs carrying aligned loops, one of said loops having a nut fixed thereto, and a bolt removably mounted in said loops having a head adapted to bear against one loop and a shank adapted to be threaded in the nut carried by the other loop, whereby the lever may be operated to draw the ring ends toward each other for locking the cover to the drum and whereby the bolt may then be threaded into the nut to contract the ring into gasket compressing position for efiecting a seal.

5. In combination, an open-ended drum provided with a beaded rim, a cover having a flange adapted to overlie said rim, a resilient gasket interposed between said rim and flange, a split ring of C shape in cross section adapted when contracted to cam said rim and flange toward each other and compress said gasket, an ear attached to the ring on each side of the split therein, a lever one end of which has an articulated connection with one ear and a link having an articulated connection with the other ear, an articulated connection between the link and lever intermediate the ends of the lever, one of said articulated connections being a lost motion connection, a pair of lugs attached to the ends of said ring, said lugs carrying aligned loops, and bolt and nut means adapted to cooperate with said loops for drawing said lugs close together, whereby the lever may be operated to draw the ring ends toward each other for locking the cover to the drum and whereby thereafter the bolt may be threaded into the nut to contract the ring into gasket compressing position for effecting a seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,011,044 Fetter Aug. 13, 1935 2,049,848 Lockhart Aug. 4, 1936 2,108,407 Lockhart Feb. 15, 1938 2,486,565 Kojan et a1. Nov. 1, 1949 2,523,639 Tucker Sept. 26, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 435,228 Great Britain Sept. 17, 1935 547,831 Great Britain Sept. 14, 1942 

